Traditional microscope systems are generally unable to measure intermolecular interactions accurately and cost effectively. One type of microscope system is the atomic force microscope (AFM), which has been used to image and/or measure the topography of various surfaces. AFM's, however, suffer from a mechanical instability that prevents the accurate measurement of intermolecular interactions. In particular, AFM's are generally unable to control tip snap-off during tip retraction. As a result, AFM's are generally unable to detect intermediate states of various intermolecular interactions such as, for example, the unbinding processes of bio-molecular complexes.
Another type of microscope system is the interfacial force microscope (IFM). Traditional IFM's use an electrical detection process to measure various surface phenomena. IFM's, however, have not been widely used due to the low sensitivity and technical complexity of their electrical detection process. Thus, traditional microscope systems have generally been unable to measure intermolecular interactions accurately and cost effectively.